Idaho’s practice of unpaid EMS internships needs to end.
Some of the largest EMS agencies in Idaho - Ada, Canyon, and Payette, have what’s called a “reserve” program. These are unpaid internships where you are expected to work and perform the same tasks as normal paid staff. They’re not intended for people who want the volunteer opportunity, but almost unanimously mandatory to do if you want a job as an EMT, with periods from 2 months to 2 years.
It’s an exploitative and predatory system, in my experience. You’re expected to work 36-48 hours a month, effectively a 12 hour shift a week, on top of a full time job, with no other method of becoming a paid employee.
15% of Ada County Paramedics’ field staff are these unpaid volunteers who are *hoping* for a job to come open.
I wanted to bring this to light because it’s a hiring method that alienates many people who, for plenty of valid reasons, are not able to make such commitments of 12 hours per week. I’ve seen it chew up a fair share of people (myself for full transparency) working in western Idaho EMS for 4 years.
Nowhere else in the country does it like this.